After reading my recent posts on multiple income streams for therapists, Psych Central Associate Editor and blogger, Margarita Tartakovsky asked me how I, and other therapists, juggle so many different aspects of private practice. I've been thinking about her question and thought it might be fun to start a series that peeks into "a day in the life" of therapists in private practice. I thought I'd start with me, and start with--today.
Just to give you a little background...I'm a wife and a mother of 4 children ages 5 to 21. I've been in clinical practice for 16 years and I serve as director of Wasatch Family Therapy, a private outpatient clinic that I founded in 2002. Recently, because my clinic has grown significantly, I've stopped taking new clients in order to spend more time leading, training, and pursuing other passions, like writing, media contributing, etc.
You'll notice that my "day in the life" doesn't include seeing any clients. I am currently on a month-long sabbatical from clinical work, and from as much administrative work as possible, during the month of November to dedicate time and energy to finishing up my first book. After being approached by a publisher a few months ago I decided that it was an opportunity I didn't want to pass up, but it would require cutting back on a lot of other responsibilities in order to make the deadline. I will resume seeing clients, running staff meetings, and training therapists the first week in December.
A Day In The Life
November 15, 2011
7:30--9:00AM
Woke up and get kiddos off to school, morning routine...
9:00-9:30AM
Worked on some rough song lyrics and musical ideas at the piano.
Ate breakfast. Contemplated exercise but decided to dig into book writing.
9:30AM-12:30PM
Worked from home on writing my first book on women's emotional self-care due to publisher by end of the month. Yikes. Totally overwhelmed by the thought. Reviewed my survey data to integrate into book.
Reviewed bank accounts, bills, etc. online.
Consulted for a few minutes with an old friend via Facebook who is in a family crisis.
Talked with my clinic office manager regarding tomorrow's staff meeting agenda items and other miscellaneous office stuff.
12:30-1:00PM
Talked with my TV producer and brainstormed about next week's segment "Should you keep your kids believing in Santa?" Read over blog responses to a recent parenting question about how moms handle the question, "Is Santa real?". Researched the topic online and sent in rough outline for tomorrow's production meeting.
1:00-2:00PM
Picked up daughter from preschool and got a birthday treat on the way home.
Responded to a reported request for interview.
Ate lunch.
2PM-3:30PM
Worked from home answered 30 business emails.
Phone consult with my Dir. of Child & Adolescent Services to discuss some difficult cases and recent referrals. She gave me updates on the status of our new Provo, UT location that opened last month.
Scheduled videographer to come to tomorrow's staff meeting to shoot footage of new therapists for our practice website.
Scheduled and posted social media updates on Twitter and Facebook(s).
Updated websites JulieHanks.com, WasatchFamilyTherapy.com, and added a few elements to a new site for emotionally focused couples therapists in the greater SLC area that I'm working on while my daughter colored and did art projects at the table.
3:30-4:00PM
Home assistant arrived and I give her the day's assignments - laundry, dishes, organized pantry. (I have a high school girl come 2-3 afternoons a week as a "home assistant" to run errands, fold laundry, organize, etc. Best thing I've ever done for my own self-care.)
More research and book writing.
Added more 2012 calendar items - trips, book tour, holidays.
Researched Christmas gifts for my staff online.
Downloaded a new Christmas CD Mindy Gledhill Winter Moon.
4:00-5:00PM
Napped. YES!
5:00-5:30PM
Helped 9 year old with spelling and vocabulary homework.
6:00-7:00PM
Pick up teenage daughter and went out to dinner as a family for 5 year old's birthday.
7:00-8:00PM
Son went to scouts, husband went to church meeting and I helped daughter open and put on ballerina costume from grandma and dance around the family room.
Social media updates.
Uploaded photos from birthday party.
8:00-9:00PM
Help get kids ready for bed, read, snuggle.
9:00-11:00PM
Wrote this Psych Central blog post.
Installed Photoshop updates to crop logos of recent media quotes for websites.
Did website and social media updates.
11:00-12:00PM
Check in with hubby, talk, watch TV, bed.
As healers, we genuinely like to do our work. Guiding clients through the therapy process and seeing them make progress is why we do what we do. But if you're in private practice, you know there's a lot going on in the back end and that it's crucial to run an efficient and organized business.